Apparatus for forging axles.



J. H. BAKER.

APPARATUS FOR FORGING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.6,1906. 904,295. Patented Nov. 17,1908.

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J. H. BAKER.

APPARATUS POR PORGING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.6,1906. Patented NOV 17,

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J. H. BAKER.

APPARATUS FOR FORGING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.G,1906,

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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J. H. BAKER.

APPARATUS FOR FORGING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.5. 1906.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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I. H. BAKER.

APPARATUS FOR FORGING AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.6, 1906. 904,295. Patented Nox/.17, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES 1I. BAKER, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR FORGING AXLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t-hat I, JAMES II. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Forging Axles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention ,relates to an improved apparatus for forging axles or other similar articles, and yhas for its object to provide a machine for doing such work with a minimum of manual labor to accomplish uniform reduction and finish throughout, to produce a better and cheaper product, and to insure an improvement in the condition of the metal.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying this application, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away, showing the main body dies in their closed position, the supplemental journal dies being inoperative. Fig. Q is a similar view showing the main dies open. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical section on the line IV. IV. of Fig. 3. Figs. 5, G and 7 are detail perspective views of the supplemental dies for forming the journal, so designed as to gradually reduce the diameter and to force the surplus metal outwardly towards the end. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view indicated by the line VIII. VIII. of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view indicated by the line IX. IX. of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail cross section on the line X. X. of Fig. S. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are detail views illustrating the mechanism for rotating the blank and showing the supplemental journal-forging dies in different positions.

In the drawings, 2, 2, represent the main supporting members of the machine, of any suitable form in cross section adapted to serve as bed plates, mounted upon a suitable foundation and preferably extended upwardly at one end as indicated at 8 for the purpose of providing reinforcing bracing for the stationary die 4. Said die 4, which is of a` length transversely of the machine corresponding to the length of the body portion of the axle inside the journals, is permanently mounted upon the frame 2, being bolted or otherwise secured, an intervening bracing block a being arranged between it Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 6, 1906.

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1908.

Serial No. 346,619.

and the upturned ends 3 of the main frame as clearly shown.

is a co-acting movable die arrz nged for motion towards and from the die il, each of said dies being` recessed as at 7 to provide the desired cross section of the article being treated. Die 6 is slidingly mounted upon the frame Q, either by its under portion bearing thereon or by a supplemental crosshead S, or both, said cross-head extending transversely across and resting upon the upper faces of frame 2. Said cross head and die G are actuated by the piston 9 of the fluid-actuating cylinder 1() having any suitable controlling valve mechanism by which the operation of the piston is controlled, as will be readily understood, the cylinder 10 being rigidly mounted upon the supporting frame i2 in any suitable manner.

For the purpose of reducing the journals of the axle I employ a series of supplemental independently adjustable dies 11, 11, tarried upon the peripheries of segmental frames or blocks 12, 13, each of which segments is capable of simultaneous swinging motion by the means hereinafter described to bring the opposite dies 11, in pairs, at each side of the machine corresponding to each opposite blank terminal, into registering operating position. For this purpose segments 12 are mounted on the outer ends of a shaft 14 and segments 13 are similarly mounted on the outer ends of shafts 15, each of said shafts extending through and being supported in dies 4 and G respectively, and actuated, as to tilting and also as to horizontal reciprocation, simultaneously. For the purpose of tilting the segments I employ a vertically movable yoke 16 mounted upon plunger 17 of cylinder 1S, located at one. side of the machine as shown, and provided with suitable valve-controlled fluid-actuated mechanism as will be readily understood without further description. the yoke extend upwardly at each side of the center and then outwardly, terminating in horizontal bearings having upper slide faces 19, 19, upon which rest slide blocks 20, 90, engaging wrist pins 21, 21, which extend outwardly beyond the faces of the segments at the same side of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. By this means it will be seen that as plunger 17 is raised the blocks 2O will be likewise raised, thereby swinging the segments 1Q, and 13 upwardly upon their shafts 1-"t and 15 and bringing the The arms of;y

bearings of dies 11 into registering position successively at each side.

For the purpose of locking or limiting the upward travel of segments 12 and 13 so as to locate dies 11 in proper position for hori- Zontal manipulation, 1 employ locking bars 22, 22, and 23, 23, mounted in suitable bearings upon the upper edge of dies 4 and 6 at each side of the center of the machine rei spectively, adapted to be projected outwardly toward each side of the machine and into suitable receiving sockets 24, 25, of segments 12 and 13 respectively so as to positively stop and hold the segments in their desired position.

Locking bars 22 are mounted upon the upper surface of permanent die 4 and the locking slots 24 of segments 12 are therefore elongated over width of locking bars 22 as shown in Fig. 1 to provide for independent horizontal reciprocation of said segments; whereas locking bars 23, being mounted upon the upper side of reciprocating die 6, with which segment 13 reciprocates, the sockets 25 are not necessarily elongated.

As will be understood segments 13 are reciprocated in harmony with die 6 carrying transverse shaft 15, the segments bearing backwardly as at 26 against a suitable bearing shoe or block 27 secured at each side upon the cross-head 8. For the purpose of transmitting a corresponding to-and-fro motion to segments 12 in harmony with the motion of segments 13, shaft 14 is mounted for back and forward travel, in a slot 23 of permanent die 4 as shown in F ig. 4, the outer ends of shaft 14 being connected by links 29 with the upper end of levers 30. Said levers are pivotally mounted at 31 at each side of the frame 2, being curved at their upper portions as shown for clearance of the segment dies, and are provided with downwardly extending arms which are connected at 32 with pitmen 33 connected at their other ends, as at 34, with suitable bearings depending downwardly below and moving simultaneously with cross-head 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. By this construction,ivlien movable die 6 advances toward the center, carrying with it segment 13, the opposite segment 12 will be simultaneously advanced by reason of the lever connections, so that after the body portion of the axle has been reduced, and when the particular journal dies 11 have been adjusted for operation, they will advance toward each other and compress the journal end of the axle simultaneously with the continued operation of the main dies 4 and 6. Such operation will continue until the next succeeding pairs of journal dies are brought upwardly into register by further manipulation of yoke 16 and corresponding operation of the locking and unlocking bars and 23. Said bars are normally in their locked position and are only actuated to be withdrawn and again re-inserted at the time when the segments are desired to be adjusted as will be understood. F or the purpose of manipulating such locking mechanism, locks 22 and 23 are each provided with backwardly extending stems 35 and 36 respectively, mounted in suitable bearings 3'? as shown, against which bear springs 33 so arranged as to project the bolts 22 and 23 into their appropriate sockets in the segments when the stems 35 and 36 have been released. For the purpose of withdrawing said stems and the locking bolts, l provide actuating levers 39, 39, and 40, 40, respectively having hooked terminals 41 which engage 11p-turned ends 42 or correspondingly arranged portions of stems 35 and 36. baid levers 39 and 40 are pivoted as shown and provided with inwardly extending terminals 43, 43, and 44, 44, which project inwardly from opposite sides into the range of the terminals 45 and 46 of co-acting interfering abutments. ibutment 45 is movable with relation to stationary die 4 upon which stationary levers 39 are pivotally mounted, while abutment 46 on the other end is stationary with relation to levers 40, pivotally mounted upon movable die 6, and it will be seen that by such arrangement, when abutments 45 and 46 are lowered into the same registering plane with the terminals 43 and 44 of levers 39 and 40, they will actuate such levers to withdraw the bars 22 and 23, when abutment 45 is traveling backwardly from the center of the main die opening and when the die 6 is traveling in the opposite direction therefrom.

Abutment 45 is pivoted as indicated at 47 upon the upper side of a bar 43 which is connected at each end as at 49, 49, with coll lars 50, 50, mounted upon horizontally reciprocating shaft 14, by which construction said abutment 45 reciprocates in harmony with the action of segments 12.

Abutment 46 is pivotally mounted as at 51 in stationary die 4 and is therefore stationary with relation to levers 40. Normally, abutments 45 and 46 are raised out of register with lever terminals 43 and 44 by any suitable mechanism, as for instance connections 52 passing over the terminal 53 of an operating lever 54 mounted above the machine in any suitable bearing, as at 55, and so arranged as to be capable of manipulation by the operator, so that the said abutments may be lowered into operative relation with the lever terminals to unlock the segment blocks 12 and 13 at the proper time. `When the segments have been raised, the locks being retracted, the abutments 45 and 46 may also be raised out of register with the levers, whereupon springs 38 will cause the locks to spring backwardly into position, thus holding the next succeeding pairs of dies l1, 11, in reciprocating registering position with relation to each other until it is again desired to bring into operation the next succeeding pair of dies, which operation is carried on throughout the entire process.

rlhe axle is rotated, preferably automatically, during the forging operation, for which purpose I have provided improved gripping and supporting mechanism shown in Figs. 3, S and 10 consisting of tongs 5G pivoted at 57, 57, within the supporting ring 5S of an outer housing 59 depending by an eye (30 from any suitable support, as a cable or chain 61.

Ring 58 and housing 59 are so constructed as to provide a runway between them in which are mounted a series of rollers or balls G2, whereby ring 58 is capable of easy turning manipulation within the housing.

Extending forwardly from ring 5S is a ratchet toothed extension 63, the ratchet teeth being formed on its periphery whereby the ring 5S, tongs 56 and the gripped axle blank will be partially rotated by the coacting pawl 64. Tongs 5G extend through the interior of the ring beyond their pivotal bearings 57 as shown, and are provided with gripping terminals 65, while at their other ends any suitable adjusting mechanism (S6 may be employed for the purpose of exerting a leverage to firmly hold the axle.

Vhile the tongs may be manipulated manually, I prefer to rotate them and the axle blank intermittently from time to time by automatic mechanism arranged to co-act with the main machine, and also to provide means whereby the extent of the rotation may be adjusted by the operator. For this purpose I employ a link G7 pivoted at (SS upon any suitable bearing stud extending outwardly from the main frame, said link being connected by a connecting pawl or supplemental link 69, pivoted to it at 70, and to the movable cross-head at any suitable point as upon a stud 71 carried upon the cross-head in any suitable manner as by means of an arm 72 extending backwardly as shown. By this means the forward and back reciprocation of link G7 will be imparted to it in harmony with motion of crosshead S, as stated.

Link 67 is similar to the ordinary link of a reversing engine, having a slot 73 in which is mounted a sliding block 74 carrying upon a suitable pivotal bearing 75 the rear end of pawl G4. Block 74 is adjusted to the desired position in slot 73 by means of lever 7 6 and connecting rod 77 connected with the block 74, lever 7G being conveniently mounted on stud 7l or elsewhere, and having a manipulating handle 7 S in any suitable segment-securing mechanism, as will be readily understood. By this means the stroke of pawl G4 may be readily controlled by the fre es operator and increased or decreased according to the amount of rotation desired. The other end of the axle blank is carried in any suitable supporting mechanism as a shoe 7S), Fig. S, depending downwardly from a support of any desired construction, by which means the axle may be always maintained in a horizontal position and in proper relation to the forging dies.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The blank having been located in position between the main dies 4 and G, is reduced thereby until its body portion conforms to the desired diameter throughout as shaped by said dies, the supplemental dies ll being inoperative during such bodyforging operation. During their inoperative period, the supplemental dies are in the lowered position, as in Fig. ll, the ends of the axle blanks being elongated outwardly without restraint, until the entire body portion between the ournal collars is finished. The first pairs of supplemental dies ll at each side are then brought into operative position for work by the mechanism described, whereupon the journal reduction is commenced, the first pairs of dies, shown in Fig. 5, reducing the journals at their inner portions and forcing the excess metal outwardly, the next succeeding pairs further reducing the metal outwardly, until in the final reduction, the ournal is finished throughout with a uniform diameter. These successive operations are accomplished by means of the successive adjustments and operations of the various pairs of supplemental dies, by the mechanism described. During such journal reduction the main dies 4 and G merely operate upon the body portion of the axle, without further reduction, except such as is duc to the spring of the machine, further accomplishing the finishing or smoothing` of the axle by the successive series of light strokes.

there it is desired to operate on the journal sections of the axle blank only, as for instance in the case of axles having a previously rolled body portion, it will be understood that such a partially treated axle may be located in position and operated upon only by the supplemental dies, the main dies 4 and (3 remaining inoperative by reason of the already accomplished reduction of the intervening portion. rlhe apparatus is therefore designed either for such journal reduction only, or for the complete operation already described, as may be preferred. Also, the supplemental dies at one side of the machine may be used to reduce the blank at one end only by inserting the end only of the blank, or to operate upon any other portion of the blank, quite independent of the other supplemental dies or of the main dies.

While the invention is particularly designed for the forging of axles, the mechanism may be changed or varied in different details or features by the skilled mechanic to adapt it to other uses or requirements, but

all such changes are to be considered as Within the scope of the following claims.

lVhat I claim is:

l. In forging apparatus, the combination of separate series of pairs of segmental dies arranged for operation upon opposite ends of a blank, means for simultaneously locating the dies of each pair in operative relation each to the other', and means for opening and closing each pair of dies.

2. In forging apparatus, the combination With main dies, of separate pairs of seg- I mental dies arranged for location and operation upon opposite ends of a longitudinal blank, and means for positioning and actuating said dies simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

3. In forging apparatus, the combination With main dies, of separate pairs of segmental dies arranged for location and operation upon opposite ends of a longitudinal blank, means for positioning and actuating said dies simultaneously, and means for supporting the blank in operative relation to all of said dies, substantially as set forth.

il. In forging mechanism, the combination With co-acting main dies, of series of pairs of supplemental dies arranged to operate upon portions of the blank simultaneously with said main dies, with means for successively positioning said pairs of dies, substantially as set forth.

5. In forging mechanism, the combination with co-acting main dies, of series of pairs of supplemental dies arranged to operate upon portions of the blank simultaneously With said main dies, with means for successively positioning said pairs of dies, and means for locking and unlocking said dies in position for operation, substantially as set forth.

6. In forging mechanism, the combination With co-acting main dies, of tilting segments provided with supplemental dies arranged to operate upon portions of the blank simultaneously With said main dies, substantially as set forth.

7. In forging mechanism, the combination With a stationary and a movable main die, of supplemental tilting die-holding elements each provided with a plurality of supplemental dies adapted to operate upon portions of the blank simultaneously With said main dies, and means for successively positioning each of said supplemental dies for operation, substantially as set forth.

S. In forging mechanism, the combination with eo-acting` main dies, of tilting segments provided with supplemental dies arranged to operate upon portions of the blank simultaneously with said main dies, and means for imparting simultaneous motion to said supplemental dies to actuate them towards and from each other simultaneously With the operation of said main dies, substantially as set forth.

9. In forging mechanism, the combination with co-acting main dies, of pivotally mounted segments provided With supplemental dies adapted to operate on portions of the blank, means for positioning said dies, means for locking and unlocking them in operative position, and means for imparting motion to said supplemental dies to cause them to operate in harmony With the operation of said main dies, substantially as set forth.

l0. In forging mechanism, the combination With a stationary and a movable main die, of a horizontally movable tilting frame mounted in said stationary main die, a similar tilting frame mounted to travel With the movable main die, and means for tilting said frames to position their supplemental dies for operation in conformity With said main dies, substantially as set forth.

11. In forging mechanism, the combination With a stationary and a movable main die, of a tilting frame mounted in said movable die provided with supplemental dies, a relatively movable similar frame mounted in the stationary main die, means for actuating the movable die and its supplemental dies, and lever mechanism connected With said operating means and arranged to move the other supplemental dies in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

12. In forging mechanism of the class described, the combination with a stationary die and a movable die provided with supplemental die mechanism, of corresponding supplemental die mechanism mounted for horizontal movement in the stationary main die, means for simultaneously positioning said supplemental dies with relation to each other, means for locking them in operative position, and means for actuating them simultaneously with the operation of the main die, substantially as set forth.

13. In forging mechanism, the combination with tilting segments carrying supplemental dies and provided with operating wrists having slide boxes, of a vertically movable yoke arranged to engage underneath said slide boxes, substantially as set forth.

14. In forging mechanism, the combination with tilting segments carrying supplemental dies and provided With operating wrists having slide boxes, of a vertically movable yoke arranged to engage underneath said 4slide boxes, with means for locking the said tilting` segments in operative position, substantially as set forth.

15. In forging mechanism, the combination of a stationary main die and a movable main die, pivotally mounted longitudinally stationary blocks carrying dies, and movable frames supporting pivotally mounted segism arranged to enter said sockets, lever devices engaging said bolt mechanism, co-acting abutments connected with said lever devices and With the movable main die respectively or actuating said bolt mechanism to lock and unlock the blocks, and means Whereby said abutments may be moved into operative or inoperative positions, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAIIES I-I. BAKER. IVitnesses Crus. S. LEPLEY, C. M. CLARKE. 

